Brigadier General Jerome R. Barnes Jr. is U.S. deputy chief of staff for LIVE OAK. LIVE OAK is co-located with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe at Casteau, Belgium.
General Barnes was born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1931, raised in Hollywood, Fla., and graduated from South Broward High School in 1949. He received a baccalaureate degree in music education from the University of Miami in 1953 and; upon graduation from the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in 1967, he concurrently earned a master of science degree in public administration from The George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the National War College at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., and attended the Advanced Management program at Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in August 1953 through the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He immediately entered flying training and received his wings at Bryan Air Force Base, Texas, in 1954. The first 12 years of his career were spent exclusively in flying operations at squadron and wing level. He flew F-86s at Royal Air Force Station Manston, England, and B-52s at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and Glasgow Air Force Base, Mont.
Following graduation from the Air Command and Staff College in August 1967, General Barnes was assigned to the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., for upgrade training in F-4 Phantoms. In March 1968 he left for the Republic of Vietnam, where he served as flight commander in the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base. During this tour of duty, he logged more than 400 hours of combat time while flying 256 missions, 43 over North Vietnam.
In April 1969 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, with duty at the Military Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in the Officer Management Division.
General Barnes completed the National War College in June 1972 and was assigned as deputy commander for operations for the 2nd Bombardment Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and in March 1973 he became vice commander of the wing.
From May to December 1973, General Barnes served on temporary duty as vice commander of the 72nd Strategic Wing (Provisional) at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. He led the last B-52 strike mission into Southeast Asia Aug. 15, 1973. Following this assignment General Barnes returned to his duties with the 2nd Bombardment Wing.
In February 1975 he took command of the 305th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Force Base, Ind. He remained there until June 1976 when he returned to Barksdale as commander of the 2nd Bombardment Wing. Concurrent with this assignment General Barnes attended the Advanced Management program at Carnegie-Mellon University.
Assigned to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in June 1977, General Barnes served as the deputy chief of staff for personnel. He was named commander of SAC's 7th Air Division, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in July 1978. He assumed his present duties in June 1979.
The general is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal.
He was promoted to brigadier general Aug. 1, 1977, with date of rank July 26, 1977.
(Current as of March 1981)